Adoption process

A New Leash for Life Rescue

Adoption Process

Are You Ready to Adopt a Rescue dog?

• Before you contact us regarding the adoption of any of our dogs please ensure you have done your homework by reading all the information on our website including the New Adopters Guide, Adoption agreement, Rescue Back up policy and some of our adoption stories.

• Please ensure you have discussed and agreed with all family members that you are all ready to adopt a rescue dog as a family. 

• Please ensure you are 100% sure you want to adopt a 'rescue' dog and that you are fully prepared and committed to support your new furry friend through any fears and anxieties they may have; they are likely to be stressed from a move to a new home and will need to be given sufficient time to settle in to their new environment and start to gain confidence and trust in their new family members; this does not happen overnight!

• Do you understand that no rescue dog is perfect? No matter their age or background; all dogs will require ongoing training, boundaries and socialisation.

All of our dogs undergo a period of assessment in a foster home; this may be for a short period of time (from a couple of days to a few weeks) depending on how well they cope with their journey to the UK and adapt to a home environment. Puppies in particular are quite resilient and are often ready to go to a new home very quickly; so when our dogs are ready and available for adoption, we want them to find their forever home as soon as possible. When a dogs profile is added to our face book page; depending on the dog they get varying amounts of interest; some dogs may have lots of applications whilst others may not; the team will look at all applications and contact the home we think may be best suited to meeting the dogs needs.

Be Prepared

• • ·         You must submit a pre adoption questionnaire to be considered for any of our dogs

  •           You must be willing to travel to meet and collect your chosen dog; preferably all family members and definitely any young children.

  •           We advise resident dogs are taken to meet any potential dog for adoption.

  • ·         You will need to be available for a meet within a few days(longer only by negotiation if due to travel distance)

  •           We do not hold dogs for interested parties to meet unless reserved.

  • ·         If the meet is successful, all parties are happy and you wish to adopt; you need to be able to collect your dog within a few days

  • ·         You must have the full adoption fee available. Do not ask us for a payment plan or to pay the adoption donation by instalments.

  • ·         You will be asked to supply a video of your property and any outside space including communal areas for flats

  • ·         If you have an enclosed garden it must be safe and with secure boundaries with a recommended 6ft high fence/wall

  • ·         You will need to be able to prove permission to have dogs where you live in rented accommodation

  • ·         Do not apply if you have any major health issues; planned events or holidays that may impact on your ability to adopt or care for a   dog.

  •           Ensure that you read the dogs profiles, what home requirements they have and that you are a good match for any particular dog     you want to apply for

  •           Please be aware that a dog that you chose to adopt may behave differently to when it was in foster to when you take it home; you   are a different person to the foster, sound different, act different, have a different routine, live in a different home, work different     hours, go to bed at different times etc. Please understand that is a huge amount of changes for any dog to get used to let alone a   rescue dog that is just realising it can trust people. We cannot say it enough- "Our dogs need plenty of time and patience to adapt"

Process

 If you understand and meet the requirements outlined above and are ready to move forward to offer a home for a particular dog/s you have seen or have a type you are interested in the steps are as follows-

•    Please thoroughly read all the information available on our website www.anewleashforliferescue.co.uk  including the New Adopters       Guidance, Adoption agreement and Rescue back up policy.

•    If you are confident you are ready to adopt a rescue, the first step is to complete the Pre-Adoption Questionnaire.

•    Once we receive your pre adoption questionnaire it gives us information about you which allows us to make an assessment as to                whether you are: a) a suitable adopter and b) a good match for your chosen dog; 

•    A member of our team will contact you to discuss whether your family might be a good match for the dog you have enquired about 

  or to discuss alternative similar types of dogs where your preferred dog has already been reserved or adopted or where a more suitable   match for your circumstances is recommended.

(We consider factors such as whether the dog needs a quiet or active home, can be with children and whether they can be "only dogs" or need a fur sibling for company etc.)

•    If after discussion with a member of the team both parties are happy for the adoption process to continue with an agreed dog we will then      either arrange for a home check visit or request that you take a video of your home and garden to check that it is a suitable and safe environment for your chosen rescue dog; we need to see that that boundaries are dog proof and high enough to keep your chosen dog safe and secure and that it will not be at risk of escape. Please ensure if you have a garden, that it is fully secure. 

•    We may ask you to verify your identity by supplying two forms of ID one of which must show your address (i.e. driving licence and utility bill). 

•    We may ask for a reference from your vet. 

•  If you live in rented accommodation, you will be asked to provide written permission from your landlord or housing authority, confirming that   they are happy for you to keep a dog in the property. If you already have a dog/s the permission must state the number of dogs allowed in your property.

• If we are satisfied with your home check and any additional information requested we will then put you in contact with the dogs foster carer for you to ask any further questions about the dog and to arrange a meet. your chosen dog. We expect this to take place within a few days.

• Once a meet is planned, if longer than a couple of days we will ask that you pay a reservation fee of £75 if you would like us to hold the dog exclusively until your meet and so that we know you are serious about your chosen dog. The reservation fee is non-refundable unless the reserve is cancelled by us. Once a dog is reserved, we will stop promoting it and will no longer speak to any other enquiries unless the meet is unsuccessful.

•  At your planned meet we expect all members of the family to meet your chosen dog to ensure they are all on board with the adoption. We also recommend that any resident dogs are also taken along to the meet to check compatibility. If this may not be possible for any reason  it must be disclosed and discussed prior to arranging to meet any dog.

•  If the meet is successful we will email you an Adopters Guide and an Adoption Agreement to sign and we will also require the remainder of the adoption fee to be paid. Once we have received both payment and a signed adoption documents you are free to make arrangements with the dog's foster to collect your new 4 legged companion

• .If for any reason the meet is not as successful as we or you would like we may recommend either a second meet or meeting an alternate dog.

Please Note- There is the possibility, particularly if travelling a distance to meet your chosen dog, to arrange for an adoption agreement and payment information to be sent to you prior to your meet enabling you to take the dog home with you if the meet is successful. This will need to be agreed before the meet and will be on condition that you have the required items to safely collect your dog as listed in the New adopters guidance and that all parties including the fosterer are satisfied that you and your dog are suited

•   When you collect your new companion you should be given-

  •  A Foster to Forever fact file for your dog

  •  A Handover agreement x 2 copies to sign { one copy retained by the fosterer and the other for yourself}

•   When you collect your new companion you should be given a Foster to Forever fact file for your dog &  a Handover agreement .                          ( 2 copies to sign one copy retained by the fosterer and the other for yourself )

•   After adopting your rescue dog you agree to keep the rescue regularly updated about your dog; by posting updates on the ‘Happy Endings’     Facebook page or sending regular updates sent via email or the Facebook Rescue messenger in line with our Rescue Back Up Policy.

ADOPTION FEE

We have a Standard adoption donation of £475

Of course we are really grateful when you are able to donate anything above the standard adoption fee as the costs to us for each dog we rescue and rehome can vary dependent on many factors and are listed below.

All extra donations can really help us and our rescuers abroad that take care of our dogs before they get to us. The actual cost to bring some of our dogs to the UK can often exceed the requested adoption donation.

Some of the costs that we cover to help our dogs have a chance of a happy life include:

Transport to the UK from country of origin

Vaccinations (including rabies jab)

Flea and Worm Treatment

Micro-chipping and registration in the UK

Pet passports

Blood testing

Spaying or neutering (if the dog is deemed old enough prior to travel otherwise this will be at your own cost)

Any health checks and veterinary care for the dog prior to adoption

Kennel fees or rehabilitation where a dog may have been surrendered for re-homing

Neutering or vaccinating returned dogs

***Please note that our adoption fee is non-refundable in the unlikely event that you decide you wish to return the dog to us.***